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Let's paint this city green<p>Today the City launches its water map and calls on all​ Capetonians to paint Cape Town green with their water saving efforts.​<br><br>​We thank all of our water savers who are working hard to avoid Day Zero which is estimated to kick in on 22 April 2018. Some 54% of our consumers are saving water to avoid Day Zero. We need absolutely everyone to come on board because the prospect of queuing daily for an allocation of 25 litres per person is a reality and we must do more to avoid it at all cost. Day Zero comes when our dam levels reach 13.5% and most taps will be turned off.</p><p>Our water map marks residential properties using less than 10 500 litres per month with green dots. The map is a transparent tool and will assist in actively managing and reducing consumption to avoid Day Zero. The greener we go, the more we push Day Zero away. The map shows that many households across Cape Town are working hard to save water as part of the effort to get us through our worst drought. </p><p>While consumers save, the City is pulling out all the stops to deliver additional water as fast as possible from groundwater, desalination and water reuse sources. </p><p>At this critical stage, water consumption remains too high for too many homes. The residential sector uses approximately 65% of our water allocation. This sector holds the key to helping us avoid Day Zero. </p><p> Each household must reduce their consumption within the water restriction limits. Please check your consumption and ensure everyone in your householdis using less than 87 litres per person per day. </p><p>Consumption is indicated on the map as follows:</p><p>• Dark green dot: household using less than 6 000 litres per month<br>• Light green dot: household using between 6 000 and 10 500 litres per month<br>• Grey dot: estimated readings when the water meter is not read for some reason; or if no information is available for the property<br><br>Households with higher consumption may have many people living on the property or may have an undetected water leak. The City continues its interventions with these users. </p><p>The map only shows consumption for free-standing houses and not cluster housing, flats or other land uses. In addition, the map shows consumption for the previous month and is updated around the third week of the following month. For example, January 2018 consumption information will be available in the third week of February 2018. </p><p>Households using more than 10 500 litres per month are not shown on the map. It has been found that high consumers are often unaware of their consumption but are willing to change their behavior once approached. At this stage, each household should know their monthly consumption and we ask that they take the right action and join Team Cape Town’s water savers. Neighbourhoods should have constructive engagements with one another to ensure that their neighbourood is painted green. Mobilise groups in your area in order to collectively manage water consumption.</p><p>By making consumption information available, we believe it will assist residents and communities to better manage water consumption. It is crucial for everyone to play their part. The City will continue with extensive enforcement but it is not possible to police consumption at every household. </p><p>If we do not change our behavior more, we are likely to face Day Zero. We can only change our current trajectory if everyone is on board. </p><p>The table below provides a guide to how much water your household should be using based on the number of occupants. As most people also consume water at work, school or elsewhere, your household consumption should be lower than the maximum amount indicated in the table.  </p> <span> <div class="mobile-scroll"> ​ ​ <table> <caption><strong>Level 6 water consumption per household</strong></caption> <thead><tr><th colspan="1">Occupants</th><th>Litres per day</th><th colspan="1">​Litres per month</th></tr></thead><tbody style="text-align:center;"><tr><td style="text-align:center;">1</td><td>87</td><td colspan="1">​2 600</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>174</td><td colspan="1">​5 300</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>261</td><td colspan="1">​7 900</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="1">​4</td><td rowspan="1">​348</td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">​10 500</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="1">​5</td><td rowspan="1">​435</td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">​13 200</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="1">​6</td><td rowspan="1">​522</td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">​15 900</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="1">​7</td><td rowspan="1">​609</td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">​18 500</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="1">​8</td><td rowspan="1">​696</td><td rowspan="1" colspan="1">​21 200</td></tr></tbody></table></div></span> <p> </p><p> <br>Monthly consumption for a four-person household, all using a maximum of 87 litres per person per day, should be less than 10 500 litres (i.e. a light green dot). A two-person household should have consumption of less than 5 300 litres (i.e. a dark green dot). </p><p>Consumption higher than 10 500 litres per month (no green dot) does not necessarily indicate water abuse. There are many legitimate reasons for this: <br> <br>• High number of occupants or guests in the house<br>• Water leaks that the occupants are unaware of (this happens frequently)<br>• The operation of a home business or B&B on the property<br>• Recently completed building work<br>• Consumption is not shown for group housing or properties with an estimated water reading of over 10 500 litres, or where information is not available<br><br>Visit <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/watermap">www.capetown.gov.za/watermap</a> to view the map.</p>2018-01-14T22:00:00ZGP0|#1d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70;L0|#01d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70|City news;GTSet|#62efe227-07aa-45e7-944c-ceebacca891d;GP0|#904f8ac3-ad18-4896-a9a8-86feb1d4a1b7;L0|#0904f8ac3-ad18-4896-a9a8-86feb1d4a1b7|StatementsGP0|#8f0aed5b-4ba7-472c-92c5-c1c5bc737567;L0|#08f0aed5b-4ba7-472c-92c5-c1c5bc737567|water restrictions;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb;GP0|#352cb5da-6a34-4bf4-959d-14dc8987a2b4;L0|#0352cb5da-6a34-4bf4-959d-14dc8987a2b4|water and sanitation;GP0|#6798ccf6-afaf-4005-a730-4089ea4b74e9;L0|#06798ccf6-afaf-4005-a730-4089ea4b74e9|drought crisis;GP0|#c051804d-9325-43b9-997f-daafb2e20bd5;L0|#0c051804d-9325-43b9-997f-daafb2e20bd5|think water;GPP|#8f0aed5b-4ba7-472c-92c5-c1c5bc7375671

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